Local electrician tries to rape woman, inserts rod in her throat

In a chilling reminder of the brutal December 16 gangrape that shook the country, a drunk electrician inserted an iron rod inside a 19-year-old's throat to muffle her screams as he attempted to rape her in south Delhi on Monday evening.

The incident was reported from a slum cluster at Jal Vihar near Lajpat Nagar around 8:27 pm on Monday.

The accused, identified as one Anil, 26, had visited his victim's house to collect monthly arrears (he works for a local operator who distributes power illegally in slums). Realising she was alone, he returned five minutes later and tried to rape her.

"Since her mother was at work and her brother was visiting family in Meerut, the victim asked Anil to come back the next day," said an officer.

"Though he left, he returned five minutes later, reeking of alcohol, and grabbed her from behind."

The victim, a Class XI student at a government school, was talking to one of her classmates over the phone when Anil forced himself upon her.

As she fought him, her friend contacted the victim's cousin, Suman Rawat, who stays in the same locality over the phone and asked her to check on her.

Suman, who was the first person to reach the victim's home, alerted the police control room.

"Initially, the victim pushed Anil away and even slapped him several times in self-defence. When he refused to back down, the victim grabbed hold of an iron rod lying in the room and tried to fend him off with it," the officer said.

But Anil snatched the rod and pushed it inside her throat in rage, scraping the inner lining of her throat and injuring her trachea, the police said.

"Her cousin Suman reached in the nick of time and realising that he had been caught red-handed, Anil fled," the officer said.

The victim and her cousin's cries drew neighbours, who caught Anil and assaulted him He was later held in Faridabad.

"The victim was rushed to Moolchand Hospital from where she was referred to AIIMS. A surgery was performed on Tuesday and her condition is stable," the officer said.